THE GREENEVILLE SUN
Jan Mirra Rhodes (Died: May 10, 2017)
Apr 3, 2018
Jan Mirra Rhodes, 65, formerly of Greeneville and Gatlinburg, passed away May 10, 2017, in Tacoma, Washington.
Jan was born April 4, 1952, in New York City to Michael and Mary Mirra. She grew up there in a three-generation household and graduated from a New York City high school. She moved with the family to Greeneville in 1971.
She attended East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, where she studied art and met lifelong friends.
Jan traveled the world, supporting herself in various and interesting ways, including as a waitress and a shepherdess. Then, she refined her artistic abilities and became a talented pastel portrait artist. She did much of this work with her easel and pastels set up in front of shops on city sidewalks or on mall walkways. This work suited her well because of her ability to speak to anyone with attention and care. She explained, referring to the time it would take to draw a portrait on the spot, “Everyone is interesting for an hour.” A dog lover, Jan came to specialize in dog portraits, and would come to know all dogs in every neighborhood she lived in.
She continued this work with her first husband, Mark Nelson, in a successful art gallery they owned in Gatlinburg.
With her second husband, Ted Rhodes, Jan became a military wife to an Army officer. She moved from post to post. At each post, she devoted herself to her work and contributed to life on base through volunteer efforts.
Her final posting took her back to New York City, where she continued her portrait work and re-established connections with New York family until her final illness. At that time, her brother, Michael, helped her move to Tacoma, Washington, where she passed away.
She is survived by her brother: Michael; her dear sister: Elizabeth; their spouses: Nancy Sprick and Rick Orlando; her nephew: Nicholas; her niece: Emily; numerous cousins; Ted Rhodes; her stepson: Brad; her stepdaughter: Lauren; and many loving friends around the country.
Jan was laid to rest in Oak Grove Cemetery next to her mother, her father and her grandmother.
Jan Mirra Rhodes (Died: May 10, 2017)
Apr 3, 2018
Jan Mirra Rhodes, 65, formerly of Greeneville and Gatlinburg, passed away May 10, 2017, in Tacoma, Washington.
Jan was born April 4, 1952, in New York City to Michael and Mary Mirra. She grew up there in a three-generation household and graduated from a New York City high school. She moved with the family to Greeneville in 1971.
She attended East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, where she studied art and met lifelong friends.
Jan traveled the world, supporting herself in various and interesting ways, including as a waitress and a shepherdess. Then, she refined her artistic abilities and became a talented pastel portrait artist. She did much of this work with her easel and pastels set up in front of shops on city sidewalks or on mall walkways. This work suited her well because of her ability to speak to anyone with attention and care. She explained, referring to the time it would take to draw a portrait on the spot, “Everyone is interesting for an hour.” A dog lover, Jan came to specialize in dog portraits, and would come to know all dogs in every neighborhood she lived in.
She continued this work with her first husband, Mark Nelson, in a successful art gallery they owned in Gatlinburg.
With her second husband, Ted Rhodes, Jan became a military wife to an Army officer. She moved from post to post. At each post, she devoted herself to her work and contributed to life on base through volunteer efforts.
Her final posting took her back to New York City, where she continued her portrait work and re-established connections with New York family until her final illness. At that time, her brother, Michael, helped her move to Tacoma, Washington, where she passed away.
She is survived by her brother: Michael; her dear sister: Elizabeth; their spouses: Nancy Sprick and Rick Orlando; her nephew: Nicholas; her niece: Emily; numerous cousins; Ted Rhodes; her stepson: Brad; her stepdaughter: Lauren; and many loving friends around the country.
Jan was laid to rest in Oak Grove Cemetery next to her mother, her father and her grandmother.
THE GREENEVILLE SUN
Jan Mirra Rhodes (Died: May 10, 2017)
Apr 3, 2018
Jan Mirra Rhodes, 65, formerly of Greeneville and Gatlinburg, passed away May 10, 2017, in Tacoma, Washington.
Jan was born April 4, 1952, in New York City to Michael and Mary Mirra. She grew up there in a three-generation household and graduated from a New York City high school. She moved with the family to Greeneville in 1971.
She attended East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, where she studied art and met lifelong friends.
Jan traveled the world, supporting herself in various and interesting ways, including as a waitress and a shepherdess. Then, she refined her artistic abilities and became a talented pastel portrait artist. She did much of this work with her easel and pastels set up in front of shops on city sidewalks or on mall walkways. This work suited her well because of her ability to speak to anyone with attention and care. She explained, referring to the time it would take to draw a portrait on the spot, “Everyone is interesting for an hour.” A dog lover, Jan came to specialize in dog portraits, and would come to know all dogs in every neighborhood she lived in.
She continued this work with her first husband, Mark Nelson, in a successful art gallery they owned in Gatlinburg.
With her second husband, Ted Rhodes, Jan became a military wife to an Army officer. She moved from post to post. At each post, she devoted herself to her work and contributed to life on base through volunteer efforts.
Her final posting took her back to New York City, where she continued her portrait work and re-established connections with New York family until her final illness. At that time, her brother, Michael, helped her move to Tacoma, Washington, where she passed away.
She is survived by her brother: Michael; her dear sister: Elizabeth; their spouses: Nancy Sprick and Rick Orlando; her nephew: Nicholas; her niece: Emily; numerous cousins; Ted Rhodes; her stepson: Brad; her stepdaughter: Lauren; and many loving friends around the country.
Jan was laid to rest in Oak Grove Cemetery next to her mother, her father and her grandmother.
Jan Mirra Rhodes (Died: May 10, 2017)
Apr 3, 2018
Jan Mirra Rhodes, 65, formerly of Greeneville and Gatlinburg, passed away May 10, 2017, in Tacoma, Washington.
Jan was born April 4, 1952, in New York City to Michael and Mary Mirra. She grew up there in a three-generation household and graduated from a New York City high school. She moved with the family to Greeneville in 1971.
She attended East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, where she studied art and met lifelong friends.
Jan traveled the world, supporting herself in various and interesting ways, including as a waitress and a shepherdess. Then, she refined her artistic abilities and became a talented pastel portrait artist. She did much of this work with her easel and pastels set up in front of shops on city sidewalks or on mall walkways. This work suited her well because of her ability to speak to anyone with attention and care. She explained, referring to the time it would take to draw a portrait on the spot, “Everyone is interesting for an hour.” A dog lover, Jan came to specialize in dog portraits, and would come to know all dogs in every neighborhood she lived in.
She continued this work with her first husband, Mark Nelson, in a successful art gallery they owned in Gatlinburg.
With her second husband, Ted Rhodes, Jan became a military wife to an Army officer. She moved from post to post. At each post, she devoted herself to her work and contributed to life on base through volunteer efforts.
Her final posting took her back to New York City, where she continued her portrait work and re-established connections with New York family until her final illness. At that time, her brother, Michael, helped her move to Tacoma, Washington, where she passed away.
She is survived by her brother: Michael; her dear sister: Elizabeth; their spouses: Nancy Sprick and Rick Orlando; her nephew: Nicholas; her niece: Emily; numerous cousins; Ted Rhodes; her stepson: Brad; her stepdaughter: Lauren; and many loving friends around the country.
Jan was laid to rest in Oak Grove Cemetery next to her mother, her father and her grandmother.
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